New York City’s Top Ten Attractions

From shopping to sightseeing to entertainment, here are New York City’s Top Ten Attractions:

1. Get lost in hectic Times Square

A lot of people get very overwhelmed by Times Square, but it’s worth the visit, and I personally loved it! I recommend taking a moment on the stairs by the TKTS booth, and visiting M&M World. It’s also a very different atmosphere during the day and at night, so try to visit twice!

2. Leisurely wander on Madison and Fifth

My mom and I split up for a day so I could shop while she checked out some museums. My intention was to visit 5 or 6 stores on Madison and Fifth Avenue and then take the subway to meet her in Times Square. I was having such a great afternoon that I ended up walking about 40 blocks in 30 degree weather, popping into dozens of stores! So much fun, even just to window shop.

3. Peoplewatch in Central Park

Central Park is just as enjoyable as it sounds! It’s so wonderful that there’s such a huge green space in the middle of such a huge city, and there’s so much activity here.

4. Catch a Broadway show

Seeing Mamma Mia was unquestionably the best night of the trip, if not the best night of my life. We saw Cinderella the next night and although it was amazing, I don’t think anything could top Mamma Mia! Any Broadway show, however, is worth the experience. Check out the TKTS booth in Times Square for discounts.

5. Dine at John’s Pizza

If you’re coming to this iconic pizza place near Times Square, make sure you get there early! It may be a NYC tradition to eat dinner super late, but it’s worth it to get here around 4:30. I highly recommend the margherita pizza – I also recommend you split it with someone!

6. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

I moaned and groaned about doing this because my feet hurt from walking, but am so glad we did, and on such a beautiful day! This is one of my favourite pictures from our trip. I recommend taking the subway over to Brooklyn and walking back to Manhattan.

7. Score some deals at Beacon’s Closet

While you’re in Brooklyn, pop into Beacon’s Closet! This store is heaven on earth – suffice it to say that I got a Marc Jacobs purse for $45!

8. View the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry

We didn’t really want to shell out the money or wait in the lines to climb partway up Lady Liberty. By taking the free Staten Island Ferry, you can get gorgeous views of both the statue and the Manhattan skyline. We tried to get on the wrong ferry at first…look for the BIG sign and you can’t go wrong. We tried to explore Staten Island for a bit as well, but there was really not much to see.

9. See the skyline at Top of the Rock

A lot of people go up the Empire State Building, but the Rockefeller Center is slightly cheaper and has a better view, since you can actually see the Empire State Building! Tip – go up before the sun sets and wait for darkness to come so you can see NYC in two very different lights!

10. Visit Columbia University

This might not be everybody’s taste, but I really enjoyed walking around Columbia University’s gorgeous campus. As a big Ivy League fan, I pictured myself strolling on the quad as a Columbia student…a girl can dream! Morningside Heights is a really nice neighbourhood to roam around in, and there’s a subway stop right next to the university.

What are your favourite things to do in New York city? Do you agree with my picks?